The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-07-08
NEW YORK LETTER.
SOME OF THE THINGS TALKED e
IN THE METROPOLIS.
Fashions In Fireworks the Same rs
Everything Else~-Percentages Paid The
atrical Stars-A New Workers. Remin-
1scehce of Fist Fight-Other Matters.

| Everything Elses-Percentages Paid The
strical stars-A New Workers. Renill-
| iscence of Fist Fight-other Matters.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YORK. June %.
"To be sure there are fashions in fire.
Gvorks," leading dealer here said the other
Gay. "This year the rage is for rockets,
shells, bombs and fine aerial work generally.
A great many new varieties in these thihes
have been brought out this season. I
"Is the use OF fireworks on the Fourth or
July declining or increasingly
increasing every year at very rapid
ratlo. We count every year on an INCREASE
OF 4o to 60 per cent, but this year, after
making up our stock on such basis, we had to
work overtime and increase our facilities as
much as possible for an increase of fully so
per cent. ON top OF the first increase"
what cities are preparing for great
demonstrations on the Fourth?'
Buffalo, N Y, seems to be fixing for the
biggest blow out Of all, but we have inst
started a man for Portland, Ore. where he is
to attend to the firing of a very fine display,
and dealers in almost all the smaller cities
are liberal buyers, whether to be used in
pub ic displays or not we do not know"
''ls it Your custom to send men ont to do
your firing?'
"Oh, yes; we have nearly 200 men ready
for that business this year. The other firms
probably have MS many. We all use our fac
tory hands for looking after displays.n
The specimen books of these concerns are
teeming with fine exhibition pieces. many of
them costing 500, $3.50 and $3.50.
#**
There are three dramatic exchanges in this
city where out OF town managers hire desk
room and book their attractions for the sea-
son. These places are thronged from the
middle OF May till late in August. At one of
them western manager chatted with me
abcut various matters connected with the
profession" asked him how the best stars
preferred to play-sureties or percentage
"Of course" }" he replied, "all of 'em would
like surety, but Booth is the only one
know OF who can command good surety in
variably. Booth gets $500 to $500 Der
night, and managers can make good money
in most towns even on that basis. In Kansas
City last season chance to know that the
box office took in $4,000 in three nights.
What in heavens name he can be thinking of
to hook up with Barrett can't zee.
"Bernhardt plays on percentage, receiving
s. to 90 per cent of gross proceeds Patti
takes 80 per cent Modjeska gets rs 10 so per
cent. Fanny Davenport and Langtry about
the same. Ordinary attractions get from so
to IS per centum.
with many of the best attractions many
managers don't expect to make any money.
Ii they can get out without losing ANYTHING
but the use Of their house. they are often salts
fed.
Complimentary tickets are usually issued
as per mutual agreement Of the local and
travelling manager. Out west we don't have
the miserable feeling about tho press that
seems to be prevalent in the east We don't
regard newspaper people as deadheads. It is
we who are the sponges. Ii we paid for what
our newspapers do for us we'd so under,
The meanest management on the road in that
respect is that OF the Langtry party The Lily
thinks sue gets so iuuch ifee a..t t.IC.A4ng She
can dispense with free tickets to the press.
She won't do it in my house. l told her
so last season and told him nv
doors would shut in his face unless our papers
were given just as many tickets as they
as many as we would give out
OH the poorest minstrel attraction"
4**
"Did you ever have fist fighta' asked a
q
group at the Gilsey house the other night
"No; why do You askY'
"Oh, merely out of curiosity. I had two.
one of them only few years ago"
"Tell us about it, the group said in chorus,
and gathered about the speaker.
"Well, it was this way: I was raised in a
mall interior town in Pennsylvania. When
about 10 years old big burly young man
named Cole got another boy and myself into
collision, made US fight in fact. I was getting
along swimmingly-ha the other boy down
md was mauling him in fine shape, when
Cole deliberately pulled me off, kicking me
severely, once in the face while my aslyer-
AIRY escaped. OF course I could do nothing
With man who weighed over 200 pounds,
Ind had big brother, but then and there
made VOW to high heaven that il I lived l
would have satisfaction in kind for that
brutal kick in the face. lost several teeth
rom it, and for weeks my left cheek was as
arge as your hat.
My parents moved away from that sec
ion and knew nothing of events there for
everal years. About seven years ago Ishad
ccasion 30 no bsck and renew the acquaint-
nceship bagun in youth. One evening at
he village singing school, which had taken
n to dispose of idle time, recognized Jim
but little since the time OF his
ssault on me-now not SO much larger than
he man he had kicked as boy. He had the
anne slipshod, slOuchy manner as Of old;iwas
nkempt, unshaven and loaferish as Of old,
ut an imposing opponent. He recognized
he, too, and lounged up and offered me his
and, which did not take.
"sCole,' said, Il have some business with
on. Please follow me around the corner of
he house.
"The fellow followed, wondering, no doubt.
) to what wanted.
when at a proper distance from heschool
ouse, and we were alone, I turned, hung I'D
~ stovepipe hat OH fence stake. took off
~ coat and vest, laid them aside neatly
sided and faced Cole. In deliberate, iry
id and cutting words. then informed him
ow had waited from youth to manhood to
I've him the thrashing he deserved for kick
g boy in the face who had been dragged
TO quarrel to crafty anothor's desire to
q fight.
But say, squire Jim said, setting one
'pper and salt leg ahead of the other, tasks
our pardon. Twas mean, admit. p
"But couldn't wait any longer. Isailed
to him like whirlwind, and"-
"Pummeled him well, OF course" chimed in
70 auditors. : y = -- -
4Well, not exactly" continued the narra-
: The fact is, Jim fell upon melike a
ousand o brick, made cooked hat of me,
it were, and after lie got through slouchei
~ il he was ashamed of soiling his hands
ith me.n a5 .
There was prolonged @Oh!n and. eyery-
'dy called for vichy. c. C. MCDONALD.
-------.-- 5z-35-i.1s zts5 q
|